Sepulchral memorial.



A. W. GRAHAM.

SEPULCHRAL MEMORIAL. APPLICATION man 11,111.13. 1916.

1,203,533. Patented oct. 31,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@mum/Lto? A. RAHAM. sEPuL MEMQR K APPLICATION FILED MAR.I 6. I 1,203,533- Patented oct. 31,1916.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 2 rra srafrns raras n ANDREW vv. GRAHAM, or BUFFALO, NEW YolRii, As's'IG'Non or ONE-HALF 'ro ELLIS TREAT, or "PITTSRGH, rNivsYLvANA..

'SEPL'GHRAL MMORAL.

sp ecfieati -of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed March 13, 1916. Serial No. 83,923.

rials, of which the following is a 'specificaV tion.

This invention relates to sepulchral memorials, and. refers more especially to that class described and claimed 'in Letters Patent Nos. 1,167 ,291 and 1,167,292, granted to 4me, Jan. 4, 1916.

An object of the present invention is to provide a. memorial 1n which an above= ground compartment 1s provided having all of the characteristic features of a monw Y claims.

ment, and at the same time providing a suitable entrance closure in one of theside walls of said memorial whereby the body can be interred.

Another object of this invention is to provide an entrance closure which iS substantially flush with one side fof the memorial.

Another object `of *thisl invention is to provide suitable mechanism for retracting this entrance closure, the said mechanism'be ing'. hidden within the Vmemorial chamber and designed to readily move the entrance closure as will more fully hereinafter apear. p A still further object of my invention is to provide a. one-piece entrance closure for an above-ground memorial, which will pre= vent the admission of water and other damaging materials.

With these and other objects in view, the invention further consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and Vpointed Vout. in-

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a vertical sectional view of Y my improved sepulchral memorial with the Ventrance closure shown in place and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the sepulchral memorial with the entrance closure shown retracted within the memorial chamber. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional viewv showing the operating and supporting means for the entrance closures Vand Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical sectionalv view of the entrance closure elevated to the level of the within the memorial chamber.

'the appended The present invention is designed to provide a memorial in which a one-piece entrance-closure can be utilized, maintaining the general configuration of the monumental effect and at the same time readily operable for the interring of bodies. Refer-V ence character 1 designates the above-ground hollow memorial, and reference character 2 designates the casket receiving Acompartment built beneath the ground. The casket receiving compartment is similar to that employed in my other patents and I shall partment may be of the same construction as that employed in my Letters Patent No. 1,167,291. Y

The memorial comprises a base 3, intermenot describe the same in detail herein. The floor of the above-ground memorial com-' dilate wall section e and capl section 5. These sections may be arranged in accordance with the best known building methods and may be further provided with the usual inscription-sand other embellishments of design. The memorial consists of the walls 6, 7 and 8 and the front closure 9. The closure 9 is shown herein as of one-piece. This closure is provided at its opposite upper endswith plates 10 embedded vin the walls thereof. Suitable stub shafts 11 extend from the said plates and have mounted thereon pinions 12, 12. These pinions are adapted to engage. respective racks 18, 14 which extend inwardly of the memorial chamber. These pinions are provided with a double set of teeth. 15 which engage lcorresponding sets of teeth 16 formed in the respective racks. A central supporting rib 17 is provided in said racks and serves to relieve some of the strain from ofthe Vteeth of the racks. The front' ends ofc-these 'supporting 'and vfeed racks-13 and 14 are loweras at 18. Thisslight drop, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, provides for the elevation of the entrance closure so as to clear theY projection 20 adjacent the floor of the memorial chamber.

The operating mechanism for feeding the entrance closure rearwardly of the memorial, consists of a longitudinal positioned shaft 21, mounted in bearings 22 formed on suitable supports 23 embedded in the end walls of the entrance closure. A worm gear 24 is mounted on the said shaft 21 and is adaptedvto mesh with a worm 25. `The' worm 25 is'suitably mounted in a casing 26.

Therworm shaft 27 on which therworm 25 is mounted, extends outwardly through the entrance closure 9 and is provided on its end with a suitable engaging means for a socket wrench or other means of rotation. As shown in F ig. l of the drawings, this connection is slightly inclined and presents on the exterior face of the entrance closure a small opening. This opening is preferably formed to constitute a part of the general design of the slab and may be located elsewhere in the exterior surface of the entr-ance closure.

The operation of the mechanism will now be described..

The worm shaft 2T is rotated by a suitable key 28 and the worm 25 thereby rotates the gear 24 and shaft 21. The pinons 29 upon the outer ends of the shaft 21 will thereby be rotated and will transmit motion to the respective gears 12 mounted upon the studs 11 as hereinbefore described. A continued rotation of the shaft 21 will move the entrance closure rearwardly into the hollow memorial chamber as will be readily understood. The recess 30 is provided in the rear wall 6 and receives the projecting casing 26 of the mechanism hereinbefore described.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that an efficient monumental memorial has been produced, the entrance closure of which can be' readily operated, and at the same time present no unsightly view to the general contour of the memorial. Y

lt is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the form and construction, as well as in the ornamentation and configuration of the invention, without departing from the material principles involved.

Any suitable form of casket lowering mechanism may be employed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln a sepulchral memorial, an above ground hollow memorial having one side open and provided with a door in the floor thereof, a closure for said open side movy,able bodily to the opposite side of the memorial, and means operable from the exterior of the memorial for initially raising said movable side vertically and thereinafter moving it bodily in its vertical position toward the opposite side to clear the door in the floor.

2. In a sepulchral memorial, 'an above ground hollow memorial having one side open and provided with a door in the floor thereof, a closure for said open side movable bodily to the opposite side of the memorial, means connected to the upper part of the movable side for suspending the same vertically, and guides for said suspension means arranged to initially cause upward movement thereof and thereinafter cause horizontal movement toward the opposite side while maintaining the vertical position of the closure, said means including a mechanism operable from the exterior of the memorial and arranged to cause movement of the suspension means along said guides.

3. In a sepulchral memorial, an above ground hollow memorial having one side open, a closure for said open side movable bodily to the opposite side of the memorial, a horizontal shaft mounted on the inner face of the upper part of the movable side, gears on the ends of the shaft, stub shafts fixed to the upper end edges of the side, ge-ars on said stub shafts meshing with the first mentioned gears, racks carried by the adjacent walls and meshing with the second mentioned gears, said racks being curved to provide elevating portions at their front ends, a worm wheel on the shaft, a worm meshing with the wheel, and a shaft carrying the worm and extending outward toward the front of the movable side, said worm shaft being adapted for the attachment of rotating means.

' ln testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREV W. GRAHAM. 1Witnesses:

HELGE MURRAY, ALBERT PorxrNs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

